Beyond the Winner and Loser in the Extra Chapter
In the end, Lu Chen's Wolves team won the first competition with an absolute advantage.
When the five of them, soaking wet and panting, crossed the finish line, the entire training ground erupted in cheers.
"Wolves are awesome!"
"Brother Chen is awesome!"
"To win against overwhelming odds, that's so cool!"
The recruits who didn't participate in the competition spontaneously applauded and cheered for them.
Wang Lei, Li Hao, and the others were so excited that they hugged each other, shouting and jumping. They had used their strength to give a resounding slap in the face to those who had looked down on them.
Lu Chen leaned against the railing at the finish line, panting heavily, and a genuine smile appeared on his face as he looked at his cheering teammates.
It feels so good to win.
It feels even better when you win through the power of the team.
A few minutes later, the Leopard team also reached the finish line, winning second place.
Another ten minutes or so passed before Qin Feng, along with his team, was the last to return to the shore.
Qin Feng's face was so gloomy it could drip water. As soon as he got ashore, he threw his backpack hard on the ground, his chest heaving violently.
His teammates were also dejected and dared not look at him.
"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!" Qin Feng pointed at his team members and cursed, "Four people, and you couldn't even hold off four opponents! What am I keeping you guys for?"
One of the team members couldn't help but whisper in defense: "Captain, it was them..."
"Shut up!" Qin Feng wouldn't listen to any explanations. "A loss is a loss! Don't try to give me excuses!"
The team members dared not utter another word.
Lu Chen frowned as he watched this scene, but remained silent.
At this moment, Lu Zhanting walked over.
He first glanced at the standings: Wolves 4 points, Leopards 3 points, Tigers 2 points, and Dragons 1 point.
Then, his gaze fell on Qin Feng.
"Qin Feng."
"Here!" Qin Feng immediately stood at attention.
"Do you know why we lost?" Lu Zhanting asked.
"Reporting to the instructor, it was my underestimation of the enemy, and also the lack of strength of my team members!" Qin Feng attributed the responsibility to himself and his team members.
“Wrong.” Lu Zhanting shook his head. “You lost because you never treated them as your team members.”
Qin Feng was stunned.
"In your eyes, they are merely tools to achieve your goals, pawns that can be sacrificed at any time." Lu Zhanting's voice was not loud, but every word struck Qin Feng's heart like a hammer.
"You sent them to fight the Tigers while you went to capture the flag. You thought it was a brilliant tactic, but it was actually the most foolish decision."
"Because from that moment on, you have already lost their trust. A team without trust is a disorganized mess, easily defeated."
Lu Zhanting turned to the other members of the Dragon Team: "I ask you, when your captain abandoned you to fight for honor alone, what were you thinking?"
The team members looked at each other, and no one dared to speak.
"to be honest!"
One of the team members gritted his teeth and finally mustered up the courage to speak: "Reporting to the instructor, I... I felt very cold inside at that moment."
“Me too,” another said. “I feel like we’re just cannon fodder.”
Qin Feng's face turned deathly pale instantly.
“Did you hear that?” Lu Zhanting looked at him. “You think you’re leading a team, but actually you’ve been fighting all by yourself from beginning to end.”
After saying that, Lu Zhanting ignored him and walked up to the Wolves.
"Lu Chen".
“Here!” Lu Chen immediately stood up straight.
"You, as the captain, tell me why you were able to win."
Lu Chen glanced at his teammates and replied in a deep voice, "Reporting, instructor, because we are a team. We trust each other and are willing to make sacrifices for each other."
"Well said." Lu Zhanting nodded. This was the first time he had praised Lu Chen in public.
“But,” he then changed the subject, “your tactics also have significant problems.”
Lu Chen's heart tightened.
"Your underwater flag-capturing tactic was indeed unexpected, but the risks were equally enormous. What if Qin Feng had disregarded everything and perished with you? What if his teammates had rushed back to your aid in time, surrounding you and your teammates in the middle of the lake?"
"You pinned your hopes for victory on the opponent's mistakes and your own luck. This is the same mistake you made in the last exercise."
Lu Chen lowered his head: "Reporting to the instructor, I was wrong."
“If you know you’re wrong, there’s still hope.” Lu Zhanting’s tone softened a bit. “Remember, the victory in a battle doesn’t depend on someone’s flash of inspiration, but on a meticulous plan down to every detail and flawless execution.”
"Wolves, although you won this time, it was a lucky victory. Therefore, your merits and demerits cancel each other out, and you will neither be rewarded nor punished."
"As for Team Dragon," Lu Zhanting's gaze turned stern again, "as the strongest team, you came in last place. Captain Qin Feng made a leadership mistake and is punished by having to write a 5,000-word tactical review report. The other team members did not train well and will all have to do an extra 5 kilometers tonight."
"Do you submit?"
"We accept it!" the Dragon Team members answered in unison. This time, their voices were no longer filled with resentment, but rather with a sense of relief.
Only Qin Feng remained standing there, head down, without uttering a word.
"Qin Feng, I'm asking you, do you submit?" Lu Zhanting emphasized.
Qin Feng's body trembled slightly. He raised his head, looked at Lu Zhanting, and then at Lu Chen and his teammates not far away.
He suddenly understood.
He deserved to lose.
He always believed that the strongest soldier should be like a lone tiger.
But today, Lu Zhanting and Lu Chen taught him a lesson.
A pack of wolves that know how to cooperate is far more terrifying than a lone, arrogant tiger.
"Reporting to the instructor, I... submit." He lowered his usually proud head.
...
In the dormitory at night.
Wang Lei and Li Hao were still excitedly discussing the daytime match.
"Brother Chen, your underwater flag-capturing move was so cool! We were all stunned!"
"Yeah, Qin Feng must be furious, haha!"
Lu Chen sat on the bed, wiping his gun, and did not participate in their discussion.
He was still thinking about what Lu Zhanting had said during the day.
"Winning by sheer luck".
Indeed, luck played a large part in this victory. If Qin Feng had been calmer, and if his teammates had cooperated better, the outcome might have been completely different.
He's still not mature enough as a team leader.
"Brother Chen, what are you thinking about?" Wang Lei leaned closer. "You're not happy even though you won the game?"
"I'm thinking about how we can win next time." Lu Chen looked up at him intently.
Wang Lei was stunned for a moment.
“This time we succeeded by taking them by surprise. But next time, all our opponents will be on guard. Our weakest point on paper will be magnified,” Lu Chen said. “We must find a way to win consistently without relying on luck.”
The dormitory fell silent.
Li Hao and the others stopped joking around and gathered around.
"Captain, what do you suggest? We'll do whatever you say."
Lu Chen smiled as he looked at the trusting eyes of his teammates.
“It’s very simple.” He picked up a piece of paper from the table. “From now on, we need to make the most of each of our strengths. At the same time, we also need to expose our weaknesses to each other without reservation.”
He looked at Chen Mo and said, "Chen Mo, you have a good mind. From now on, you will be in charge of the initial ideas for our team's tactics."
He then looked at Li Hao and said, "Li Hao, you have great stamina. From now on, all missions that require long-distance raids and reconnaissance will be assigned to you."
"Wang Lei, you have quick reflexes and plenty of drive. From now on, you will be the sharpest weapon in our team, responsible for tearing apart the enemy's defenses."
He assigned a clear role to everyone.
“And I,” Lu Chen concluded, “am responsible for uniting all of you into one fist. And, at the most crucial moment, delivering the most lethal blow.”
"From today onwards, there are no individual heroes on the Wolves team, only an invincible team. Everyone, do you have confidence?"
"have!"
The four team members spoke in unison, their voices loud and clear.
Outside the door, the instructors who were checking the dormitories passed by, heard the sounds inside, and smiled with satisfaction.
In another dormitory room, Qin Feng was sitting alone at a table, staring blankly at a piece of white paper.
He couldn't write a single word of the 5,000-word recap report.
In his mind, the daytime match replayed over and over again, along with every word Lu Zhanting had said.
"You've been fighting all by yourself from beginning to end."
These words echoed in his ears like a curse.
The door was pushed open, and one of his teammates walked in carrying a cup of hot water.
"Captain, have some water."
Qin Feng glanced at him but didn't say anything.
The team member put down his water glass, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke up: "Captain, we were also at fault today. We shouldn't... we shouldn't have been emotional."
Qin Feng's body trembled.
"From now on, we'll listen to you. We'll play exactly as you say." The team member's tone was very sincere.
Qin Feng looked at him, then glanced at the doorway. Several other team members were also peeking inside, their eyes filled with concern.
He suddenly felt a lump in his throat.
So this is what it feels like to be part of a team?
He picked up a pen and wrote down the title of the review report on the paper: "On the Decisive Role of Teams in Modern Warfare".
That night, some celebrated their victory, while others reflected on their defeat.
But everyone understands that this is just the beginning.
The real battle is yet to come.
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